LA D-Fenders' Horace Wormely: Little Guy with a Big Heart

One call came from former UCLA star and 12-year NBA veteran Tracy Murray, who was effusive about the small point guard. After [Horace] Wormely worked out at the Lakers' training facility, assistant general manager Ronnie Lester also called. "Ronnie told me how good and how tough he was," Brown said.

After [D-Fender's Head Coach Chucky] Brown finally saw Wormely toying with opponents during open workout scrimmages, he was sold. "My first thought was, 'Why haven't I heard about this guy before?' " Brown said.

Wormely, 25, has been the D-Fenders' starting point guard most of the season and is averaging 8.1 points and 4.2 assists, shooting 44.2% from the field and 87.5% from the free-throw line, while playing 32.4 minutes a game for the NBA Development League team.

Not surprisingly, Wormely looks up to a player even smaller than him, 5-5 Washington Wizards guard Earl Boykins, now in his 11th NBA season.

The LA Times recently profiled the D-Fender's Horace Wormely (much more there - I encourage you to read the rest), a 5-foot-6 point guard who has overcome his size quite well to make it as a starter in the D-League.

While we haven't really focused on him much here at Ridiculous Upside, he does have an interesting story - though he was never really given an opportunity (even in college), he's now as close as you can get to being in the NBA without actually being in the NBA - a starter in the D-League.